Ok, a tricky thing. Are there gels with a lower sugar content (maltodextrin is no sugar, right), but high salt / magnesium / potassium content. Looking for something to balance off with the regular fluid intake.
Great question!! I would look at Precision Hydration and see if that suits your need 
My understanding is that you will always have to have sugar (in some form) in gels, not sure if there is any other way of doing that - you can get gels that have higher electrolyte levels though - hope this helps!
SIS Isotonic use Maltodextrin so for 22g of carbs only 0.6g is from sugars.
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What’s the rest from then?
Good question. The point might be that maltodextrin is classed as a carb, but not a sugar, it’s a sugar replacement.
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Just while scanning this old one again. Being in the US Gels seem to be a tad of a problem. Had settled on GU, the non-fruit flavors. Then I found OTE Sports. Kind of interesting. Their gels are easier to consume (single gulp almost), not as sticky … So I am wondering whether there are other brands that have similar properties ?
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What about Precision Hydration, Maurten or Skratch Labs theses are all US based I think.
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Precision Hydration are a UK brand, but I know they have shipping in the US. Pretty sure the other two are US based.
A lot of this is probably personal preference. I started by just hitting up a few bike shops and buying individual gels to test.
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Skratch Labs does not do gels, just chews. And those are a mess to deal with on the bike, at least for a clumbsy person like me.
Maurten, good call. I can order then via “The Feed”. Need to look into getting some samples.
Honestly, my search was limited to what I could buy locally, here in the US, preferrably in a store. Turns out that the stuff from the well known players here (GU, Powerbar, Honey Stringer, Clif and Hammer) just does not work well for me. At the end of the day, you might was well get some choclates at a gas station.
Right now ordering OTE from the UK is not a biggy either, just order a bunch of boxes. I’ll go throu them anyway. Takes a week or two. But you got to know first what works …
It might be worth you looking into making your own gels.
For example Copycat GU Gels - The Planted Runner
How to make your own Energy Gels | alpineteam.co.nz
Or if your ok with Dates and maple syrup
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Thanks for this. I’ve never considered making my own, but could help with cost control and knowing what is in them.
How do you find it @kevstorr? Easy to make, store, and use?
Thanks again.
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I just make them as and when I need easy small batches. I try very much to keep to eating real food and thats what made me look at options. I’ve made fig rolls, malt loaf and cut into small bite sized chunks and just have them in a ziplock bag. Often I add salted cashews and just snack as I ride.
I have been looking at whether a soft flask could be used having seen these refillable ones from Kendalmint.
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Not gels but I do my own drink mix and energy bars. I do it so that I can try out different things easily. I can mix up flavour or nutritional profiles just how I like. I use it to engage with my boys about nutrition and healthy ingredients. It works really well for me. I think the only downside is that getting decent packaging for my own creations hasn’t worked out yet.
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My $0.02c
Had a lot of success with the SIS energy gels and Precision Hydration. I also recently used a NZ/Aussie brand called Pure, which were also very good.
I just bought some (i) Enervit (available via The Feed in the US, otherwise hard to get their gels here) and hear good things, and (2) some Endurance Tap maple gels; I’ve tried the Maple gels made by the brand Ted King is behind and they burn my throat on the way down, but I like the characteristics of maple and this Endurance Tap variety is totally different - used one today and it was great. Bought via The Feed.
For me, variety is key - eventually they all get old in terms of taste/viscosity/texture etc.
For me, the GU gels are a disaster for my gutter any Power Bar product.
GCN did a great video a while back on a 2,000 calorie water bottle - home made (and easy) and it’s borderline gel essentially, so as a way of getting the necessary into your system, I view it as an alternative to gels.
I have also got into he habit of dispensing gels into a larger, collapsible BPU container - the type a lot of runners hand hold, and adding some water. Easy way to get 5-10 gels into one container that can go in a back pocket, top tube bag - thus avoiding littering (potentially), sticky hands (and subsequently handlebars) and so on - generally much more efficient. Does require you to be completely ok with that flavor/type otherwise you are stuck carrying something you may not use.
The UK brand Veloforte make natural gels but their flavors have never agreed with me, but I cannot fault their ingredients.
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Great advice. Thank you for this.
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Agreed on this - just loving the advice here. Thank you all so much.
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